As Collector Car Appreciation day approaches on July 11, rising Junior, Hollis Glover, dives into his own relationship with car shows and his car.

What is your experience with cars?

So, I like to go to a lot of car shows, just smaller meets or bigger organized events, and I love working on my car. It’s just kind of a good fun thing I do with my friends. A good way to pass some time and have some fun.

How did you first become interested in cars?

Nobody in my family has been into cars really ever. As a kid, I was always fascinated in just watching (cars) go by and throughout early middle school I just watched a ton of YouTube on cars, and that kind of sparked my interest in them. In every sense, I’ve just loved them more and more, and now that I have my own, I put so much time into it.

Why do you think other people enjoy going to car shows?

It’s a really fun and welcoming community. It’s just a great place to show off your car and look at others and have a good time with people who enjoy the same things you do.

What occurs at a normal car show?

I would say there’s two different types. There’s pop-up meets, (which occur) in a small local town with mainly younger kids. People will just post about it on Instagram and people will meet up in a parking lot or parking garage, and everyone just parks near each other. Some people will pop their hood or open the doors just so people can take a look around. And people just walk around and you talk about your car, talk about other cars, and it’s just a really low-key type of thing. And then there’s more organized car meets which are usually older people and (more) adult type cars. Organized car meets and shows (have) a lot more retro and older Camaros, Mustangs, (etc) which I think are beautiful. But there’s less conversation, it’s more just going to appreciate them.

Can you explain your car repair process?

So in early December I bought a 2009 BMW 328 xDrive, and I bought it when it wasn’t running for a really great price off a good friend. But I had to replace the water pump, the thermostat, and (two) other things. And I bought it not really knowing how to work on cars, and I just bought tools. Really Youtube has been my saving grace. I’ll just look up the process for a job and just follow step by step, and it’s really straightforward. When you first start, you’ll mess a ton of stuff up, which I did, but the more you do it, the better and easier it becomes. 

What is your favorite part about working on cars?

That’s really hard. So working on cars is so much fun, I love it, and I’d love to do it all the time. But you’ll hate it at the same time. You’ll be trying to get this one bolt off for three straight hours and you’re screaming at your car, but it’s so rewarding once you finish it up and you drive it. It’s just a level of happiness that I can’t really get from anything else.

How would you recommend that other people get interested in car shows or collecting cars?

I’d say the biggest thing is just going to social media and finding car groups or car shows near you and following them on instagram. Just go to as many meets and shows as possible and talk to people. If you have friends who love cars and talk to them and watch Youtube videos. Just involve yourself. If you’re at a show don’t stand off by yourself, find someone’s car you like and ask them about it.